Sunitha Krishnan 'Shame the rapist' campaign,

sunitha krishnan @sunita_krishnan 
 If goons think they can intimidate me this way...take a long walk boss,I will report come what may,I will track,I will shame and will report

NGO activist Sunitha Krishnan launches 'Shame the rapist' campaign, faces backlash

The car of NGO activist Sunitha Krishnan was damaged on Friday morning soon after she launched the 'Shame the rapist campaign'.

Sunitha Krishnan, who runs an NGO in Hyderabad, found two separate videos of 5 men gang raping a woman and smiling for the camera during the act, after they were shared on WhatsApp. She then posted the video of the incident on YouTube, Facebook and on Twitter after editing it so that the victim's identity was protected. The video of the gang rape is believed to be at least six months old. She said a friend alerted her to the videos after receiving them on WhatsApp.

"Ten seconds into the video, I was overcome. I had to stop as I needed to throw up," she said. After seeing the videos, she said she was determined to track down and get the rapists arrested.

This morning, soon after speaking to NDTV, her car was stoned.

Posting an appeal to all via Facebook, Sunitha wrote, "Some sick pathetic human beings are sending videos of rape on 'whatsapp'. If any of you are getting such videos please report...we will use the same tool to shame and punish the rapist."

"... I have taken the liberty of protecting the identity of the victim. They are prowling around and are a threat to any woman or child. Please help us trace them. We need to nationally shame them and then ..." she adds.

Uber Cab Rape Victim Breaks Her Silence, I Pray For Justice

Uber cab rape victim breaks her silence: See something, say something. This should never have happened to me. This city has failed me.

Uber driver Shiv Kumar Yadav

That night, I did not see any patrols on that street. And Uber, the taxi-hailing service that I had trusted, had employed a driver with a criminal background, without a (Public Service Vehicle) badge. I later learnt that they had also neglected a complaint by another female passenger, Nidhi Shah, about driver Shiv Kumar Yadav’s conduct, and failed to take action. The irreversible loss that my family and I have suffered because of this is unimaginable.

On December 5, when I walked out with my friends after having dinner, I chose to travel by a reputed cab service hoping to reach home safely and because, after the December 16 gangrape two years ago, this is what was recommended to every Indian girl — take a safe option to reach home. I had used Uber so many times that I trusted them completely. Also, I did not want to trouble my friends and colleagues by asking them to drop me home.

Today, I find it difficult to sleep. Memories of that night keep coming back in flashes to haunt me. I try to sleep but can’t because of the constant fear. The incident has left a deep impact on my psyche, I feel scared to go out alone. But I was never like this before. I had attended a school where the environment was very liberal. They taught us how to be practical, inculcating values of freedom and courage at a very young age. At Delhi University, where I completed my graduation, I used to travel by public transport, but never faced any harassment.

I have always believed that if I see something wrong, something I feel strongly for, I will speak up, even if it means opposing my family or friends or relatives. That is why, after the incident that night, I called the police first, before even informing my parents. And that is also why in December 2012, after the gangrape happened, I took to the streets in protest and urged my family and friends to join.

I strongly feel about the issue of women’s safety. The government may have taken a stand then but I don’t think it has been a concrete one. No strong message has been sent out to society. It hasn’t deterred the criminals. There are hundreds of other, similar cases. Isn’t it ironic that the Uber driver had the audacity to threaten me by saying he would use an iron rod on me? Instead of being deterred, this man actually used the December 16 gangrape to scare and assault a woman.

I pray for justice, stringent punishment for the accused, action against Uber. If no action is taken this time, we have failed as a society, as a government, as a system, as a country and as human beings. A clear and strong message needs to go out. Yet, I also appreciate Delhi Police. They were humble in their behaviour and efficient in finding the culprit. In fact, I wanted to give them a reward, but they did not accept it. The senior officers just said that I could treat the entire investigation team to a cup of coffee, instead.

Now, looking ahead, there’s the question of managing society and my career. Some people in my neighbourhood have already started raising questions about my dignity. I have stopped going out alone and I am facing immense difficulty in coping with the pressure. For instance, a friend of my mother called her after an incorrect newspaper report, asking why we had filed a case. She told my mother, ‘Badnaami hogi (You will get a bad name)’. My mother replied, ‘Badnaami uski hogi jisne yeh kaam kiya hai, meri nahin (The people who will get a bad name are those that did this, not me)’. She said she was proud of me for reporting the incident.

Some of my colleagues, who claimed to be friends, would message me, saying how I could “shut” my eyes to “reality” and “not face the world.” Later, some friends took me out to make me feel better. I realised that those who stood by me in this testing time were my real friends. Now, I have started working again. My office has been very supportive. My seniors are in regular touch with me and are tracking my progress. They have also provided me with counsellors to help me feel better.

It’s not just my colleagues and seniors, others have shown sensitivity too. After the incident, I attended a wedding where no one asked me about it. So now, after what has happened to me, if someone does not have a brother or a husband or a male guardian to tag along, does a girl stop going out? Do you want her to sit at home?

We have the right to go out, too, and work peacefully. I have visited other countries with my parents and never felt unsafe. In fact, travelling is my passion. But I have realised now that this city is unsafe. I cannot go out alone. I will think twice before going out alone. For me to feel safe again here, the most important thing is to have cabs driven by women drivers. More patrolling and increased police presence also help women feel safe. When a girl is travelling in a cab, the vehicle should be properly checked and details of drivers must be thoroughly inspected. If Uber had been diligent enough, this incident would never have happened.

Also, the public needs to be sensitised. People usually tend to avoid instances where they feel they will get embroiled in police and court cases. That mentality must be done away with. I also believe that more opportunities must be given to women if such incidents are to be curbed. India is a male-dominated society, and men will not be able to take women for granted if there are equal opportunities. Education, too, plays a very important role in how we shape our young minds.

As for the new generation, people of my own age, I want to say this: Speak up, see something, say something. Don’t be quiet.
source:msn.com

Two terrorists held, police probe terror links

2 suspected terrorists involved in Burdwan blast held in Delhi-Noida border

Abdul Aziz

Rakatulla

Two terrorists have been nabbed in Noida. According to reports both the anti-nationals were held on December 19. While one of the terrorists is said to be a Bangladeshi national, another is from Uttar Pradesh.

In the wake of more more terrorists hiding in Delhi, NCR regions, the police are carrying out searches in Delhi, Noida.

The operation was executed jointly by Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal ATS teams and the IB. However, the West Bengal Police has taken the custody of the two terror suspects.
Two terrorists have been nabbed in Noida. One of the terrorist is said to be a Bangladeshi national.
NIA sources have said that more than 50 terror modules are operating from West Bengal.

The NIA had visited West Bengal in October and had given the list of terrorists. The arrested terrorists were being grilled by the RAW and the IB. During interrogation, their laptop has revealed a plot to bomb many cities in India. Meanwhile, the Home Ministry has ordered quick response teams be kept on standby.

More details are awaited.

The Iraq Crisis In 11 Photos

Iraq crisis - the great unravelling: US and Iran need to work together fast, as the barbarians are at the gate

ISIL (also known as ISIS) rapidly consolidated their wins, capturing many cities in northern Iraq. Shown here is their territory on June 16.

They claim to have executed 1700 Iraqi soldiers, but this has not been confirmed.

Soon after capturing Mosul, ISIL released graphic pictures showing them executing Iraqi soldiers.

The present crisis was sparked when ISIL attacked and rapidly took control of the Mosul in early June. Mosul is the second largest city in Iraq, and is predominantly Sunni.

ISIL imposes harsh laws on areas they control, including restrictions on women, association, speech, and a ban of alcohol and cigarettes. Their punishments include cutting off hands and beheadings. Fighters are shown here stomping on confiscated cigarettes.

Syria, where bloodthirsty al Qaeda offshoot the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) gained many of their men, resources and skills during the civil war. They formally declared themselves in April 2013, but have roots in al Qaeda in Iraq - and now they're back there in a big way

SP Leader Insults Rape Victim

Shocking: SP leader insults rape victim

Naresh Agarwal

Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal courted a massive controversy by saying 'even an animal can’t be forcefully dragged away'.

Mom Killed Son Because He Was Gay

Jessica Dutro, Oregon Mom, Allegedly Killed Son Because She Thought He Was Gay

An Oregon mother is facing murder charges after allegedly subjecting her 4-year-old son to deadly beatings because she thought he was gay. As the Associated Press is reporting, Jessica Dutro, 25, has been charged with murder, murder by abuse and second-degree assault in connection with the 2012 death of her son, Zachary Dutro-Boggess. Prosecutors say Zachary died on Aug. 16, 2012 of blunt-force trauma to his abdomen and a delay in medical treatment, according to reports.

Dutro, who is on trial in Washington County Circuit Court, allegedly pointed to her perception of her young son's sexuality in a Facebook message addressed to her boyfriend, Brian Canady, at the time. Using a slur, she wrote that she believed Zachary was going to be gay, and suggested Canady, 24, "work on" her son: “He walks and talks like it. Ugh.” Earlier this month, Canady pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, and second-degree assault, in connection with Zachary's death, The Oregonian previously reported. At the time of his arrest in 2012, Canady admitted to kicking Zachary in the abdomen while wearing shoes, according to The Portland Tribune.

Dutro's 7-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son are also said to have shown signs of physical abuse, according to The Oregonian. Still, her attorney Chris Colburn has argued that while his client was an "unusual" parent, she is not guilty of murder. The case follows that of James Larry Cosby, a Texas father who has been charged with two counts of tampering with evidence in connection with the death of his daughter, Britney Cosby, and her girlfriend Crystal Jackson, both 24, according to KHOU. He is currently being held in the Galveston County Jail on a total of $500,000.00 bonds.

Mom, boyfriend charged in child's death

Tigard police say they have arrested Brian Canady and his girlfriend Jessica Dutro-Boggess for the death of her 4-year-old son.

Missing Malaysian Plane: Co-Pilot ‘Spoke Last Words’

The co-pilot of a missing Malaysian jetliner spoke the last words heard from the cockpit, the airline's chief executive said on Monday, as investigators consider suicide by the captain or first officer as one possible explanation for the disappearance. No trace of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been found since it vanished on March 8 with 239 people aboard. Investigators are increasingly convinced it was diverted perhaps thousands of miles off course by someone with deep knowledge of the Boeing 777-200ER and commercial navigation. A search unprecedented in its scale is now under way for the plane, covering a area stretching from the shores of the Caspian Sea in the north to deep in the southern Indian Ocean. Airline chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya also told a news conference that it was unclear exactly when one of the plane's automatic tracking systems had been disabled, appearing to contradict the weekend comments of government ministers. Suspicions of hijacking or sabotage had hardened further when officials said on Sunday that the last radio message from the plane - an informal "all right, good night" — was spoken after the system, known as "ACARS", was shutdown.

"Initial investigations indicate it was the co-pilot who basically spoke the last time it was recorded on tape," Ahmad Jauhari said on Monday, when asked who it was believed had spoken those words. That was a sign-off to air traffic controllers at 1.19am, as the Beijing-bound plane left Malaysian airspace.
The last transmission from the ACARS system - a maintenance computer that relays data on the plane's status — had been received at 1.07am, as the plane crossed Malaysia's northeast coast and headed out over the Gulf of Thailand. "We don't know when the ACARS was switched off after that," Ahmad Jauhari said. "It was supposed to transmit 30 minutes from there, but that transmission did not come through."

VAST SEARCH CORRIDORS

Police and a multi-national investigation team may never know for sure what happened in the cockpit unless they find the plane, and that in itself is a daunting challenge. Satellite data suggests it could be anywhere in either of two vast corridors that arc through much of Asia: one stretching north from Laos to the Caspian, the other south from west of the Indonesian island of Sumatra into the southern Indian Ocean west of Australia. Kazakhstan, at the end of the northern arc, said it had not detected any "unsanctioned use" of its air space on March 8. "Even if all on-board equipment is switched off, it is impossible to fly through in a silent mode," the Kazakh civil aviation committee said in a statement sent to Reuters. "There are also military bodies monitoring the country's air space. China, which has been vocal in its impatience with Malaysian efforts to find the plane, called on its smaller neighbor to "immediately" expand and clarify the scope of the search. About two-thirds of the passengers aboard MH370 were Chinese.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he had spoken to Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak by telephone, and had offered more surveillance resources in addition to the two P-3C Orion aircraft his country has already committed. "He asked that Australia take responsibility for the search in the southern vector, which the Malaysian authorities now think was one possible flight path for this ill-fated aircraft," Abbott told parliament. "I agreed that we would do so." Malaysian acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said diplomatic notes had been sent to all countries along the northern and southern search corridors, requesting radar and satellite information as well as land, sea and air search operations. The Malaysian navy and air force were also searching the southern corridor, he said, and US P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft were being sent to Perth, in Western Australia, to help scour the ocean.

FOCUS ON CREW

The plane's disappearance has baffled investigators and aviation experts. It vanished from civilian air traffic control screens off Malaysia's east coast less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian authorities believe that, as the plane crossed the northeast coast and flew across the Gulf of Thailand, someone on board shut off its communications systems and turned west. That has focused attention on the crew. Malaysian police are trawling through the backgrounds of the pilots, flight and ground staff for any clues to a possible motive in what they say is now being treated as a criminal investigation. Asked if pilot or co-pilot suicide was a line of inquiry, Hishammuddin said: "We are looking at it." But he added it was only one of the possibilities under investigation. Police special branch officers searched the homes of the captain, 53-year-old Zaharie Ahmad Shah, and first officer, 27-year-old Fariq Abdul Hamid, in middle-class suburbs of Kuala Lumpur close to the international airport on Saturday.

Among the items taken for examination was a flight simulator Zaharie had built in his home. A senior police official familiar with the investigation said the flight simulator programs were closely examined, adding they appeared to be normal ones that allow users to practice flying and landing in different conditions. A second senior police official with knowledge of the investigation said they had found no evidence of a link between the pilot and any militant group. "Based on what we have so far, we cannot see the terrorism link here," he said. "We looked at known terror or extremist groups in Southeast Asia. The links are not there."

NORTH OR SOUTH?

Electronic signals between the plane and satellites continued to be exchanged for nearly six hours after MH370 flew out of range of Malaysian military radar off the northwest coast, following a commercial aviation route across the Andaman Sea towards India. The plane had enough fuel to fly for about 30 minutes after that last satellite communication, Ahmad Jauhari said. Twenty-six countries are involved in the search, stretching across much of Asia. Three French civil aviation experts involved in the search for an Air France jet that crashed in the Atlantic in 2009 arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Monday to help. A source familiar with official U.S. assessments of satellite data being used to try to find the plane said it was believed most likely it turned south sometime after the last sighting by Malaysian military radar, and may have run out of fuel over the Indian Ocean. The Malaysian government-controlled New Straits Times on Monday quoted sources close to the investigation as saying data collected was pointing instead towards the northern corridor.

AAP-BJP Workers' Clash: Police Name Ashutosh in FIR

Gujarat police detained AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for all of half-an-hour in Radhanpur town, halting his four-day tour of the state to expose Narendra Modi's claim of model state. It triggered massive AAP protests outside BJP offices and violent clashes between their cadres.

Actor Sivaji Emotional Speech on AP State Bifurcation

Watch Actor Sivaji express his views about bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. He questions the Government & the politicians

Sahara Chief Subrata Roy lodged in Forest department guest house

Sahara Chief Subrata Roy was tonight lodged in a guest house of the Uttar Pradesh Forest department here after the state police was directed by a local court to keep him in its custody till March 4 when he will be produced before Supreme Court.


Police sources said Roy was taken to the guest house located in Kukrail area after the Chief Judicial Magistrate Anand Kumar Yadav directed the UP police to keep him in custody till 2 PM on March 4 and ensure that he is by then produced before .. 








Sahara Chief Subrata Roy

Chairman Of The Sahara Subrata Roy Biography

'Never a bright' student Subrata Roy married Univ topper; started business with only R 2000

Subrata Roy (born 10 June 1948) at Araria (40 km. north to Poornia, Bihar). He was born in an upper middle class family. As a child he was always a bright student and went on to hold a diploma in Mechanical Engineering from the Government Technical Institute, Gorakhpur. is an Indian businessman who is the founder and chairman of the Sahara India Pariwar, an Indian conglomerate with diversified ownership interests that includes Pune Warriors India, London's Grosvenor House, New York's Plaza Hotel, Aamby Valley City and Force India. Roy founded the company in 1978. He was named among the 10 Most Powerful People of India in 2012 by India Today. In 2004, the group was termed by the Time magazine as ‘the second largest employer in India' after the Indian Railways.

Subrata Roy Parents Sudhir Chandra Roy and Srimati Chhabi Roy. He studied at Holy Child School in Kolkata and later studied diploma in mechanical engineering from Government Technical Institute, Gorakhpur. Roy started his first business in Gorakhpur. He is married to Swapna Roy who is the Dy. Managing Worker (Personnel and welfare). He has 2 sons, Before he founded the Sahara Group, he had already gathered 32 years of precious experience in business development along with 18 years of experience in real estate business.

Business career Sahara India Pariwar

Roy founded the Sahara Group in 1978, with an initial asset base of just US$43. From there, it went on to become the largest conglomerate of India with a diversified range of business interests. The company now has interests in real estate, media, entertainment, tourism, healthcare, and hospitality. On February 26, 2014, the Supreme Court of India ordered the arrest of Subrata Roy for failing to appear before it in connection with the Rs.24,000-crore deposits his company has not refunded to its investors. He was eventually arrested on 28 February 2014 by Uttar Pradesh police on Supreme Court's Warrant, in a dispute with Market Regulator - SEBI. In a statement after the arrest, his lawyer said Mr. Roy's 92-year-old mother was in poor health and needed "her eldest son" by her side, and hence he failed to appear at the court.

Awards and honors

* Subrata Roy Sahara has received an honorary doctorate in business leadership from the University of East London (2013).

* He also received the Business Icon of the Year award at the Powerbrands Hall of Fame Awards in London in 2011. He has been the ITA – TV Icon of the Year 2007. He has received the Global Leadership Award in 2004. He received Businessmen of the Year Award in 2002, the Best Industrialist Award in 2002, Vishisht Rashtriya Udaan Samman (2010) by a daily from India’s top most publication house, Vocational Award for Excellence (2010) by Rotary International, Karmaveer Samman (1995), Udyam Shree (1994), Baba-E-Rozgar Award (1992) and the National Citizen Award in 2001. He won the Academy Award in the Indian Television Academy Awards for his contribution to Indian television. He has been also awarded with honorary degree of D. Litt. by Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga. Moreover, he has been featured regularly in the India Today (India’s leading magazine) list of 50 Most Powerful People of India, since 2003.
In 2012, Roy was named among the 10 most influential businessmen in India by the news magazine India Today.
In 2004, the company he founded was termed by Time magazine as "the second largest employer in India" after Indian Railways.

Day after SC reprieve, Jaya says all 7 Rajiv convicts will walk free

In a stunning political move that caught practically everyone off guard, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday announced her government had decided to release all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, including the three whose death sentences were commuted by the Supreme Court on Tuesday. She told the state Assembly that the Centre had three days to respond to the decision, after which her government would exercise its power to free the convicts. While commuting the sentences of A G Perarivalan alias Arivu, Sriharan alias Murugan and T Suthentiraraja alias Santhan, the Supreme Court had left it open for Tamil Nadu to grant remissions to them under the executive powers of the state government.
On Wednesday morning, Jaya convened a meeting of her cabinet to discuss the release of these three, and four others serving life terms in the same case: Sriharan’s wife Nalini, B Robert Payas, S Jayakumar and PRavichandran. “Taking into account that they have spent nearly 23 years in prison, the state cabinet has resolved to release them, exercising the power of remission vested in it under section 432 of the CrPC,” Jaya said in the Assembly.

However, as the case was investigated by CBI, a central agency, and tried and convicted under the now-repealed TADA, the state would have to discuss it with the Union government under section 435 of the CrPC, she added. “To proceed with the consultation, the state cabinet’s decision to remit the sentences of the seven persons will be forwarded to the Centre immediately. If the Union government delays its response beyond three days, the state government will exercise its powers and will release Perarivalan, Sriharan, Santhan, Nalini, Robert Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran,” Jaya informed the House. Tuesday’s Supreme Court decision had triggered demands to free the convicts from Perarivalan’s family, activists and all political parties except the Congress. Jaya was silent on Tuesday, but on Wednesday she criticised former chief minister M Karunanidhi for remaining indifferent to the matter while he was in power.

The five MLAs of the Congress, which had protested against the decision to commute the death sentence, walked out of the assembly after the Speaker did not allow them to raise their point. Jaya’s decision left even the families of the convicts speechless. “This is so unexpected that I feel I am floating weightless. I know it takes a lot of political courage to take such a decision, and we cannot thank the chief minister enough for this mercy,” said Perarivalan’s father T Gnanasekaran alias Kuildasan, a school teacher who was active in the Tamil outfit Dravida Kazhagam. Perarivalan’s younger sister Arulselvi, an assistant professor in the computer science department at Annamalai University, Chidambaram, was in class when she got the news. “We had been campaigning to save his life. Now all of a sudden, not only has he been spared death, he is going to be back with us. It all seems incredible,” she said. DMK chief Karunanidhi told reporters that the Centre should support the state government’s decision. He said he had been demanding their release for a few years. “I congratulate Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for heeding to that demand,” he said. Had the state government discussed the matter in detail beforehand, the seven convicts could in fact have been released immediately, Karunanidhi said. Political parties including the CPI, PMK, MDMK, VCK, SDPI and several others welcomed the decision.

VVS Laxman Loses Rs 10 Lakhs in Bank Fraud

One person was on Friday (January 31) arrested for allegedly siphoning off Rs 10 lakh from the bank account of former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman through net banking, police said. Izazul, a resident of Malda was arrested from Salt Lake area under the jurisdiction of Bidhannagar police commissionarate after Rs 10 lakh was credited to his bank account from Laxman's account in a Hyderabad-based bank. Manager of the nationalised bank, where the accused is having an account informed the police due to this unusual transaction, leading to Izazul's detention. Meanwhile, the cyber cell of Hyderabad district police informed the Bidhannagar district police commissionarate about the missing Rs 10 lakh from Laxman's account. After interrogation of Izazul and initial investigation, it was revealed that he had siphoned off the money from the former cricketer's bank account by using netbanking, DC (Detective Department), Bidhannagar police commissionarate, Arnab Ghosh told.

Birbhum Tribal Leaders Deny Any Gang-Rape Had Taken Place

Tribal leaders in Birbhum district where a 20-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped recently have stuck to the claim that the girl had lied to frame the morol(village headman) and the media was defaming the traditional justice system of the Santhal community. At least 20 Santhal organizations from different districts came together at Angargaria village in Md Bazar, a tribal-dominated pocket, last Sunday to express their disapproval of the media portrayal of their internal justice system or "Salishi Sabha".The meeting was organised by the Birbhum district unit of "Bharat Jakat Majhi Maroa" and attended by Santhal leaders, student leaders, intellectuals and also a group of women from Labhpur village where the gang-rape took place. The Santhal leaders said they would start building public opinion in favour of their age-old justice system.

The young girl was allegedly ordered to be gang-raped by one such kangaroo court at the Birbhum village.
The Santhal organisations, however, continued to deny that the rape had at all taken place.Opel Murdy, a leader of the Bharat Jakat Majhi Maroa said, "It is true that the villagers dragged the woman and her fiance from a house where they were caught in a compromising position, but the morol did not hold any court where an order was passed to rape the woman." He alleged that the government was out to destroy their traditional system of justice and undermine the authority of the morol in their tribal set-up.

He wondered why their justice system was being targeted while the existence of similar systems or personal laws in other communities was not questioned. He said that the entire tribal community would revolt against the move Murdy threatened to organize a bigger rally at the village where the so-called rape took place and said that he and other leaders of the community had met the district administration on Monday to express their grievances. 

Gay Sex Still Criminal Supreme Court Refuses To Review Verdict

The Supreme Court today said that it will not review its controversial order that made gay sex criminal. The December verdict had drawn sharp criticism internationally for failing to protect fundamental individual rights.
The top court had  stated that only parliament could change the law, by deleting Section 377- a colonial-era statute of the Indian Penal Code which bans sex "against the order of nature"- is constitutionally valid.
The Centre and gay rights activists had appealed against the Supreme Court's decision. But judges today said they saw no reason to interfere with the order. Now, the union government has two options: it can either file a curative petition in the Supreme Court, or it can try to amend the law in Parliament.

A curative petition, the final appeal in the legal process, is heard by the Supreme Court's senior-most judges including the Chief Justice of the country. Amending the law in parliament will be tough for the government.  The main opposition party, the BJP, has said it backs Article 377. The next parliament session, starting February 5, lasts 11 days, and is the last time Parliament will meet before the national election, due by May. In 2009, the Delhi High Court exempted gay sex between consenting adults from the ban imposed by Section 377. That verdict was the result of a case brought by the Naz Foundation, a sexual rights organization, which fought a legal battle for almost a decade.

Different religious groups appealed against the Delhi High Court's decision in the Supreme Court, which ruled in their favour. The Supreme Court bench, headed by G.S. Singhvi on his last day before retirement, found the High Court had overstepped its authority and that the law passed by the British in 1860 does not violate the Constitution. Several hundred gay activists had protested the verdict in Delhi, waving rainbow flags and chanting slogans for freedom.

Actress files police complaint against SRK's bodyguard

Shah Rukh Khan's bodyguard was detained by the police at Bandra Kurla Police Station for about two hours for allegedly having stopped an actress from entering backstage at an awards ceremony.

According to a report in Mid-Day, the bodyguard Ravi, allegedly pushed Sharvari, a Marathi actress from going backstage at an awards function even though she had an all access pass.

The report also mentions that a big crowd was swelling up and Ravi was managing the crowd. During the course of which Ravi allegedly pushed away Sharvari and she fell down.

Ravi was reportedly left with a warning after he was summoned to the police station. No FIR has been lodged in the case. The report also mentions that a source close to Shah Rukh Khan says it was Sharvari who had misbehaved with the superstar's staff. Ravi has been working with SRK for six years now.

Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Union minister Shashi Tharoor, found dead in Delhi hotel

Sunanda Pushkar, the wife of Union minister Shashi Tharoor, was found dead in suite 345 of Leela Hotel on Friday evening. Her death comes within 48 hours of her going public about her husband's alleged affair with a Pakistani journalist, raising suspicions of suicide, although no note has been found. Her body was reportedly found by Tharoor when he returned to the hotel in the evening after Friday's AICC session. The couple are said to have moved out of the minister's official bungalow as it was being painted. The police were informed by Tharoor's PS Abhinav Kumar.

The tragic end came even as Twitter was still buzzing about the public display of anger, betrayal and accusations involving Tharoor, Sunanda and Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar. There were also reports of Sunanda talking of divorce, although she scotched the talk on Thursday. The police initially suggested it was suicide. But late at night, the officers were more guarded. Police sources said it could be a "natural or unnatural death". They said all angles were being probed: suicide, poisoning and death due to a sudden heart attack. A forensic team had come to the hotel and a magistrate was called for the interrogation of Tharoor and his PS.

As the marriage was less than seven years old, section 176 of the CrPC kicked in and the police was conducting investigations to rule out any dowry angle. Delhi police will also ask Twitter to give details of direct messages between Sunanda and Tarar. There were no apparent injuries on the body which was discovered around 8pm when Tharoor opened the room. Police said the 52-year-old woman had been last seen in the hotel lobby around 3.30pm. The Sarojini Nagar SDM will supervise the probe.

Special commissioner of police Deepak Mishra confirmed her death and said suite 345 of Leela and the entire third floor had been sealed. Pushkar had checked into the hotel on Wednesday, police said. Sources said her body was discovered on the bed covered with a duvet. Dr Sudhir Gupta, head of forensic sciences at AIIMS, said the body would be kept at the department and viscera preserved. "Postmortem will be conducted after inquest orders from the magistrate," he said.

Talk of trouble between the high-profile Tharoors had been swirling for months but things were finally made public by Sunanda. 'Sunanda spoke of poor health, depression' Sunanda, who has a 21-year-old son from a previous marriage, put correspondence between Tharoor and Lahore-based Mehr Tarar, 45, on Twitter and spoke about it to the media. Although the couple on Thursday said they were "happily married", parallel reports of her having sought divorce resurfaced in the media.

Although no one who had spoken to her in the past few days sensed any suicidal tendency, one of her last tweets read: "Will try got so many issues diagnosed in KIMS that now who knows when I got 2 go with joy hastay hua jayagay (will go laughing)." Tharoor, who left his job at the UN after unsuccessfully contesting elections for the secretary-general's post, returned to India in 2008. Soon after, he divorced his Canadian diplomat wife. He married Sunanda in 2010 — his third marriage. He has two sons from his first wife, Tillotma.

People who had spoken to Sunanda in the past two days described her as very disturbed and distraught over her husband's relationship with Tarar. TV anchors with whom she had corresponded on Thursday night said she had spoken about her poor health and depression. Sunanda, who was with Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram last week, underwent treatment at a private hospital two days ago. She was unwell and diagnosed with Lupus and stomach tuberculosis, said a hospital source. Lupus is a medical condition arising from deficiency in immunity which damages healthy tissues. It is learnt that she had spent four days in hospital.

"My wife's illness means I need to be with her and will miss all five events of Jaipur litfest in 2014. I promised to atone in 2015," a tweet by Tharoor at 8.01pm read. Journalist Vir Sanghvi said on TV he had met her a few weeks ago and the usually bubbly woman was not herself. "...I feel there is something deeper here," he said. 

Government Okays CCTV, Panic Buttons in Public Vehicles

The government on Thursday approved the first project under the Nirbhaya fund, approving the installation of panic buttons, CCTV cameras and Global Positioning System (GPS) devices in public transport vehicles in 32 cities in India. The approval was given by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) at its meeting held here. The central government had announced the Nirbhaya fund after a 23-year-old woman was brutally gang-raped in a moving bus in Delhi in December 2012. The girl, dubbed Nirbhaya, later died in a Singapore hospital.

 The incident sparked huge protests across the country and brought to the fore the need for safe and secure public transport. The project will help in mapping routes of public vehicles, tracking vehicles on the route, highlighting violations through visual and text signals, and a panic button to alert police. The project is aimed at providing safety and security to women in distress in minimum response time, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters here. The total estimated cost of the project will be Rs.1,405 crore. It will be implemented within two years. The emergency button in public transport vehicles will generate an alarm in the central tracking system. Chidambaram said the finance ministry has given in-principle approval to two other proposals, which include installation of a panic alarm button in mobile handsets.

Vatchathi Director Ravi Thambi Arrested For Marrying Five Women

‘Vatchathi‘ fame director Ravi Thambi has been arrested on Saturday on the charge of allegedly cheating and marrying five women, each unaware of his other wives. The matter came to light when his fifth wife Shibha, of Verkilambi a small town in Kanyakumari district lodged a complaint at the Kuzhithurai police station on Nov 10 stating that her husband Ravi Thambi deserted her and doesn’t give her money for household expenses and for their 7-year old child support. She further alleged that Ravi had married 5 women, not disclosing his previous marriages details to them. On her complaint, Shibha said, “I married Justin Ravi alias Ravi Thambi 8-years ago at Verkilambi and we have a 7-year-old child. He took away several sovereigns of gold and cash of mine to Chennai and didn’t support me financially thereafter. The background checks on Suspicion discovered the truth that he had married 4 women earlier to me.

Around 20 years ago, Ravi Thambi first married Shailaja of Marthandam in Kanyakumari district and has a 18-year-old son from her. Subsequently, he married Anitha of Chithirankottai near Marthandam and has a 14-year old daughter. He then married Bindu of Kottarakkara and Kavitha of Poojappura, both from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala state. Later he married me for the fifth time. Ravi had managed to get dowry from all of us and used our money and jewellery for his expenses. Now he has started a film production company and advertised that he is on the lookout for new female faces. He should be arrested immediately to prevent him cheating other women again”.

Later, Ravi’s second wife Anitha also lodged a police complaint against him separately at the Kuzhithurai All Women Police Station. Based on the complaints, the Kuzhithurai Police arrested Ravi Thambi at Kaliyakkavilai check post in Kanyakumari district, where he was on his way to Kuzhithurai from Thiruvananthapuram airport. He was taken to Kuzhithurai All Women Police Station and is being interrogated

Dowry death: Victim's family demands death for ex-Cong MLA

A former Congress MLA's daughter-in-law was found hanging under mysterious circumstances at a house in Delhi's Sarai Rohilla area.